The largest reservoir in the United States has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was created some 90 years ago. Federal data shows Lake Mead fell Friday to a level just below the prior record-low set in July 2022. It’s another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River, a major waterway that supplies the U.S. West. The record comes after the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin. Federal officials recently announced a proposal to stave off a crisis in the beleaguered waterway by having the states of California, Nevada and Arizona to share cuts.

To reach a deal with Iran that reopens the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump may need to do something out of character — compromise. Any concession would be tough for the Republican president. He's insisted there's no truth to his sagging poll numbers, the sluggish economy and the U.S. military’s dwindling stockpiles of key weapons. The sticking point between Trump and Iran is over control of the waterway that's crucial for oil shipments. The Trump administration has ruled out Iran charging fees to ships. But Iran has insisted on some measure of control, saying the strait will not go back to being an international waterway.

A deluge of 90,000 rubber ducks poured out of a truck and into the Chicago River. They they bobbed along a stretch of the skyscraper-lined river in the annual Chicago Ducky Derby that raises thousands of dollars for charity. The truck dumped the ducks Thursday from one side of a half-raised bridge. After forming a yellow pool in the river, the ducks floated for around 15 minutes before a winner and runner-up were plucked from the water. The annual event, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois, draws thousands of participants. The winning duck was picked by Becky Cavanagh, the Ducky Derby ambassador and a 13-year Special Olympics athlete.

Iran and Oman are inching toward a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and potentially help bring an end to the war. A mass funeral was also held on Tuesday in Gaza City for more than 100 Palestinians recovered from the rubble of an Israeli airstrike nearly three years ago. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they have fired at Saudi Arabia. Israeli and Lebanese officials are continuing talks to implement a deal to disarm the Hezbollah militant group and drawdown the Israeli military. And in the Lebanese capital, victims' relatives marked the anniversary of the 2020 Beirut port explosion that killed more than 200 people.

Iran and the Gulf Arab state of Oman have made progress toward a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a potential breakthrough that could help wind down the war in the Middle East. Two regional officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday that under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman. Service fees would be charged. The talks are ongoing. Any agreement formalizing Iran’s control of the strait would mark a strategic victory for Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump is under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war that has driven up gas prices.

President Donald Trump says he has decided to hold off on ordering new strikes against Iran after discussions with Gulf allies. Trump told reporters on Sunday that the U.S. had planned a major attack but opted for diplomacy after receiving input from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made clear he preferred Trump to continue pressing for a deal over launching new strikes. Trump announced on Saturday that Mideast allies had reached the "perimeters" of a deal aimed at ending the five-month-old conflict. The proposal includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing U.S. concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. Negotiations are expected to resume soon.

The Netherlands and Germany are suffering the consequences of a European heat wave that has brought dought and sparked devastating wildfires in France, Spain, Portugal, Crete and elsewhere. For the Dutch the dry conditions are a threat to hundreds of miles of dikes that protect the low-lying country from flooding in the winter. In Germany, the lack of rainfall has led to record low levels in the Rhine, one of Europe's major rivers and a superhighway for freight that is transported in ships along its navigation channels. Dutch authorities are patrolling dikes to check for possible damage as the structures dry out.